


We are still learning (so lets learn together)

by orphan_account



Category: How to Get Away with Murder
Genre: Age Difference, Alternate Universe, Angst, Dubious Consent, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, M/M, Pedophilia, Slavery
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-03-16
Updated: 2015-04-23
Packaged: 2018-03-18 05:49:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,422
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3558443
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Oliver has been accepted into law school and is working with one of the best lawyers. Life seems to be working out great for him until a new case brings a stranger into his life. He must now try and help a broken boy and teach him to live and to love.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Oliver walked into Annalise Keating’s house. He had been working as part of the Keating 5 for a couple of months already. His parents were ecstatic to hear that he had gotten into law school and got to work with one of the best lawyers. Oliver notices that he was last one to arrive, probably due to that he lived far from the house and campus, something he had been trying to change.  
Michaela and Asher were arguing about something as he sat down o the cough next to Wes.  
“What’s happened” Oliver asked. “New client” Wes answered and nodded to the stranger walking into the room. She had light brown hair down to her shoulders and her blue eyes were red from crying. “I’m looking for Annalise Keating” explained the young woman.  
“You must be Wendy Taylor I’m Annalise Keating” the professor came out of her office and motioned for the distraught guest to sit. Wendy obliged straitening out her skirt and placing the handbag she had been holding on her lap.  
“Ms Taylor you have been charged with breaking and entering and theft of possessions by a Mr Richard Barrington, is that right?” Keating continued. Wendy nodded “please you have to help me I was just trying to help” Wendy paused to wipe her nose with a tissue “he is a horrible man the things he does to people are not right and I just wanted to help no one believed me they all fell to his trap, he acts so good but his heart I mad of ice” She chocked out.  
“Ms Taylor could you please explain what you mean” questioned Annalise. Oliver watched as the woman, who had tears in her eyes and was sniffling as she started to speak to them again “he buys people from families that have no choice or just kidnaps them orphans mostly so they won’t be missed and uses them as slaves and servants around his manors his got around 40 people in his main manor in America, I don’t know why he needs so many people but he does and I just wanted to get them out of there away from him to be free and not have to live in disgusting rotten basements on the floor and live of bread and water and treated as if they are not human its not right to treat anyone like that you have to agree.”  
“We do believe you and don’t worry we’ll save those people”  
Wendy got up to leave “Thank you” she whispered as she put her handbag over her shoulder and left the room with Annalise behind also whispering something to her.

 

“Wow wonder if he uses the pretty girls for more than the sweeping” Asher’s voice rang out thought the room coming back in Annalise pointed out “this I no laughing matter Mr Millstone, now he is a picture of Mr Barrington you may recognize him from his face in the paper about supporting charities” she gave round a picture of a man, tanned in his early 30’s with dark styled hair and eyes that reminded Oliver of a snake and he did recognize this man just the other day the news were going on about how much money he had donated to many charities across the globe and how he ‘ wanted to change the world and make it a better place for everyone to be” with a smile to the camera.  
“This is why is going to be hard to get people to see what is truly going on and to believe Wendy. Now she managed to get 20 people out a couple of nights ago with some help and I’m going to giving each of you three people to interview for tomorrow to see if they have anything we can use on trial so Wendy will be innocent and this wretched man gets shown for what he is” in the last part of her talk, Oliver heard nothing but disgust in the woman’s voice.

Frank handed out three folders to each of the Keating 5 and Bonnie, which contained about 1 or 2 pages in with a name and a photo on the front. The first thing Oliver noticed on the folders that he had been given was that of a young girl how looked older than himself followed by a older woman with grey hair tied in a bun and lastly a young boy as he stared at the dreadful quality photo he felt someone tape his shoulder “come on daydreamer, we can go” he turned to see Laurel smiling and shacking her head as she collected up her things and headed for the door.  
“Want to come to my apartment today? I know its farther than yours but I feel bad that I keep only going to yours anyway my mom brought over some of her cooking and there’s loads left can eat it all myself” Oliver asked Laurel. She looked slightly to her left but turned back and gave a smile and a nod.

Once in Oliver’s old car the conversation from yesterday sprung back alive “Harry potter books a way better than the movies they left out so much detail and great lines not to mention characters I don’t see how anyone could disagree” Oliver started  
“I know I agree but my cousins just keep insisting that its no point in reading them if they have movies and it just irks me. I know they may not have time with all the travelling they do but I just can’t believe anyone wouldn't want to escape sometimes which is so much better in a book. Movies show you what they think everything looks like but when you read a book it becomes your own word completely different from the others or just small changes, to imagine your own version of a world and its never completely the same as others who have read the book but all the readers own place to go and escape from reality. The same story in the same world but so many different unique versions. It’s just amazing.”

The chat had died down by the time Oliver parked and they went up to his apartment. In peaceful silence they got out the plates and cutlery for dinner Oliver went over to his fridge and pulled out a dish covered in tin foil “chicken abodo” Oliver told Laurel as he put it in the oven to heat up “its going be about 30 minuets is that okay?” he asked  
“Fine” she answers “anyway we can have a look at these” she took out her folders from her bag and sat onto his couch Oliver retrieved his own set and seated next to her. “Who've you got?” Oliver questioned  
“A middle aged guy and two women, sister’s maybe twins” she showed Oliver the pictures of two beautiful almost identical woman, and a decent looking guy.  
“I've got two girls too” Oliver showed them to Laurel “and him” He gave the folder with the picture of the boy, who even in the poor photo looked quite good looking  
“god he looks young” Laurel spoke Oliver’s mind they shared a look as if to ask how someone could do this to theses people and put the folders back away but Oliver kept the one of the boy in his hands staring at his picketed face when the timer goes of for the food and he hurries to put it in his bag before Laurel noticed and got the chicken abodo out and served the rest of it equally between them.

Once in bed Oliver thought f what had happened that day thinking of how the food was good, great actually just like every time his mom cooks or the conversation with Laurel but his mind kept wondering back to the boy in the photo wondering what kind of life he had endured so far.


	2. Chapter 2

Olive trudged up to the warehouse ahead of him. The bleak building was two stories tall with all the windows covered with wooden boards that had graffiti on most. Turning to his side he noticed Michaela with her head buried in her folders, going over them once again. His own had not left his bag scene the night previous. Oliver’s stomach was turning; he was not prepared to interview these people what to ask them? How to ask them questions? The folders didn't give away anything about what their like only names age and some basic info. 

Annalise was leading the students into the damp, dark, dingy building. Shoes clanked against the concrete floor filled the silence. Oliver wrapped his coat around him tighter and stuffed his hands in the pockets. Despite barely being able to see, with only just a couple of flickering lights to show the way, they carried on deeper into the abounded warehouse. Oliver’s imagination started to run coming up with all the places a serial killer could hide and jump out at them like in a completely predicable cheep horror movie. 

Taking out the folders olive changed the order so now he was looking at the picture of the girl around his age, looking up he now noticed all the people around him and did not recognize the strangers seemed to be in little groups whispering and staring up at the aw student they were all different old young and all ethnicities. Dirty blonde hair pulled back into a ponytail. Her green eyes wide as she stared at Oliver. He walked closer to the young woman   
“Umm hi are you Arina?” Oliver questioned fiddling with the files in his hands.  
“Yes” she replied quickly her Swedish accent coming through.   
“Could you answer some questions for me?” seeing her tense up Oliver explained “I’m working for the lawyer that Wendy hired.” Arina visibly relaxed and nodded.

Oliver didn't get much that could give them a stronger case to get Barrington evicted. She told that she was a kitchen maid and that she didn't see the man that much as he never came down into the kitchens were she spent most of her days and if he did venture downstairs he never acknowledged her or the kitchen staff she worked with. Oliver asked about the living conditions which she replied with dreadful no bed barely any food and she got more as she would get the burnt and scrapes from the kitchen they slept on the floor in a tiny room with some of the servants from upstairs there was just enough room to lie down with a thin blanket or shawl.  
“Thank you” Oliver smiled at the blonde  
“He is going to pay them and we will be back there again I don’t see why you are trying there’s no hope”  
“Don’t worry you wont be working with hi anymore. I promise”  
Arina Shrugged and smiled sadly she turned form Oliver and was whisked away by a brunette around the same age as her. Oliver watched them for a while whispering to each other in a different language probably Swedish he thought and how they held each others hands and leant into each other. 

With a sigh Oliver put away the Alana’s file and got out the other turning his attention t find the other Oliver looked around the warehouse when he felt a tap on his shoulder and spun around to be greeted with a woman standing tall despite her small size looking up at Oliver with an air of ease and confidence.  
“You Oliver?” she asked at him  
“yeah and let me guess you must be Maya” Oliver looked down to get her name right she nodded her black hair was combed back just like in her photo but was greasy and covered in dirt no doubt to having to sleep on the cold hard filthy concrete at night.  
“I’ve been told your going to ask me some questions about Barrington”  
“Yes may I ask what your position was at the manor?”  
“Housekeeper”  
“So would you feel as if you were being forced to work for Mr Barrington?”  
“I needed money, not that he ever gave any of us any like promised. I got a roof and food but in turn had to become a slave to an appalling man”  
Oliver nodded and wrote notes on what she was saying. “Did he ever use violence?”  
“When he was angry he would throw things at whoever was in the way of the flying object, him shouting about how we were only good at being slaves and we couldn’t even do that probably that hurt them most though.” She seemed to have aged 10 years from the start of the conversation.  
“Now umm did Mr Barrington ever do anything to you or anyone here that they didn't want him to do?” Oliver asked trying to be careful of the subject matter.  
“You mean rape us.” Maya stated bluntly “that’s what he’s for,” she nodded over Oliver’s shoulder to someone. Oliver was about to turn when he heard Maya say “be careful with him, please”   
Oliver focused on her again and gave her a nod and thanked her for her time.

Oliver saw a young boy hugging his body sitting down cross legged dark hair feel into his face as he stared down at the floor and seemed to be hiding in his too big baggy clothes on him. Oliver couldn't see the boys face but recognized him from the photo of the last folder. He decided to put away the one in his hand away and also leave the last one in the bag as well. He slowly went over to the boy until he was standing over him; Oliver crouched down so that his knees were close to the floor. The boy’s eyes traveled to Oliver’s feet and up to his face wide with terror his amber eyes meet Oliver’s before rushing back down to the floor.   
“Hi I’m Oliver; I just want to ask you some questions. Is that okay?”   
The boy didn't move and Oliver noticed something round his neck a black metal collar that covered the middle of the brunette’s neck. He nodded and more of his wavy hair covered his face as he looked at Oliver’s knees.   
“Connor” a whisper filled the box that had seemed to have created around the two, when Oliver realized it came from the boy- no Connor he reminded himself. Oliver opens his bag and pulled out a single sheet of paper and a pen out his pocket. Putting the bag on the floor he mirrored the boy and sat cross legged on the concrete.  
“So Connor what would you say was your job in Barrington Manor” Oliver already new but felt like he needed to hear it from the child’s prospective than just being told what others thoughts on it.   
Connor shrugged “whatever master wanted me to be or do”  
“What would you mostly do” Oliver stated whispering with the boy.  
“Make master happy and feel good let him do what he wanted to do with me” Connor was biting his lip.  
“How did it make you feel?” Oliver questioned. Connor stared up at him with a look of confusing on his face before shaking his head.  
“You didn't like it”  
Connor shook his head once again   
“Did you tell him you didn't want it”   
Connor started to shake before nodding and stopping to shrug and look down biting his lip and pulled his sleeves down over his hands  
“Connor?”  
“I had to” Connors voice murmured   
Oliver wrote down the rest of the discussion and was about to preceded when Laurel came behind him and tilted her head to the others who were all gazing at him. Laurel gave Connor a smile but he was focusing on his feet again. 

“Did you get anything we can use?” Michaela shot at him as soon as Oliver reluctantly walked from the boy. He turned to Connor   
“Yeah I think I did” on the way back he told the other students Frank, Bonnie and Annalise of the last conversation he just had and gave them the paper with it on as he drove back to the professors house.   
“you can all go we’ll be seeing some of them again tomorrow here Wendy will bring them in and see if we can put them on the stand you can leave the folders and notes here I look over them tonight” Annalise told her students Oliver stared at her for a couple of seconds as he put the files and notes in a pile. 

Once all the students had left Frank turned to Annalise “is she bringing the boy?”   
“Of course” She answered as she walked into the kitchen frank following  
“Hackers not going to like that” Bonnie added in   
“Well we are going to make sure that beast get locked up for much longer with him so he is just going to get over it. Its not like I want to put that on a child but without him they wont believe us” Annalise looked at each of them “I’m going to y office look through the files and see who else I should tell Wendy to send”   
The two nodded and set to work.

“Hey” Laurel jogged up to Oliver “want to come round you look like you need a drink”  
“No I’m just going to go get some sleep thanks though” Oliver replied and got into his car and headed home to his apartment. Oliver didn't get a wink of sleep that night instead stayed up on his laptop trying to confines himself he need sleep and that he was just making his eyes worse by straining them but he just couldn’t get his mind to shut up so instead carried on reading random facts that probably wont ever need but just in case maybe he could find someone who would be impressed by his extensive knowledge of exploding toads.


	3. Chapter 3

A cough got Oliver’s attention. He had somehow gotten out of bed and got dressed this morning despite having about two hours sleep lat night. Sitting on the couch in is professors house didn't help the sleep deprived man. He noticed six new people had entered the room.  
“You’re here” Annalise said stepping out into the room. “Come in.” Wendy and 4 others, including Maya who was holding hands with a girl and a reluctant Connor. Oliver was too busy staring at Connor over his shoulder to realize that they had started talking to an old man dressed in a suit and shiny dress shoes with his grey hairs combed back. He didn't fit in with the other slaves ragged dirt stricken clothes. Turning his head back round to the old man and tried to focus to the questions being asked and come up with any that could help or come up when the man is giving evidence in trial. Oliver was trying to concentrate on what was being said but kept peaking over his shoulder to the 3 people behind him and to where Connor was staring his feet. The boy picked up his head and caught Oliver’s eyes before quickly shooting them down to the floor once again. The old man got off the seat to go stand with the others but stayed around a meter apart from the 3 obviously not liking the presences of them. Probably thing he was some way better than them and had a higher status being a butler Oliver thought.  
The girl who Maya had held hands come over to the seat she was a scullery maid called Gemma. She had light brown hair that hung around her face. She talked about Barrington’s abuse and neglect she and others had suffered in his home, tears sprung in her eyes but she was determined to not cry.  
“Did Mr Barrington pay money to people to get you or others to work for him?” Oliver questioned the girl.   
“Yeah. Poor families mostly he would normally go to different poorer countries and bring them back but he also did pressure the families living in this family’s apartments that if they couldn't pay rent he would help them buy giving them money in exchange for their child” she whipped her eye with her sleeve and carried on “many refused though and found themselves homeless”  
“Thank you” Annalise proclaimed from the back of the room standing next to Wendy.  
Maya turn was next and she spoke pretty about what she told Oliver yesterday. She also kept looking past the law students to check on the two teenagers in the corner. Oliver turn around to notice Gemma with her hand on Connors shoulder whispering in his ear who was shaking his head in protest to what she saying.

After Maya had finished and no one had anymore questions she looks past the students again “Come on Connor” Maya held out her hand for the boy. She stayed in that position until Gemma gave him a little push to get him moving. Connor tripped a little due to the push, he shuffled along the room. He kept his eyes on the floor and sleeves over his hands as he went in between the chairs. Maya gave him a reassuring squeeze on his shoulder and went back to the Gemma. The boy sat down not looking at any of them.  
“So Connor what where did you mostly stay in Barrington Manor” Wes asked.  
With a shrug Connor mumbled “where ever I was needed. I slept either in the bedroom if I been good but normally in my room”  
“What was the room like” queried Annalise   
“Small. Dark. Dirty. Uncomfortable” Connor looked up at her “it smelt really bad as well” Connors eyes were wide open and his hands started sweating.  
“How would you describe your time in the manor?” Michaela voice broke the silence.  
Connors breath was getting quicker as his eyes started darting round the room and just shook his head to answer the question.  
“Connor” Maya said urging Connor to speak. He brought his knees up to his chest and his eyes wide darting round the room. His body was starting to shake.   
Oliver noticed the boy move his shaking hands from around his knee to try to hide them in his jumper pocket   
“Maybe someone should interview him on his own” Wendy suggested turning to Annalise   
“at court there is going to be more people than in here and the questions they will ask him are going to be much more personal than these, so he is going to have t at least be able to answer these questions in front of all of us” the lawyer informed her.  
While this was happening Connor eyes had started to water as he hides his face in his sleeve. Maya and Gemma had made their way over to the crying boy and kneeled next to the chair to comfort him but he kept flinching and moving out of their attempts to rest their hand on his shoulder.

Oliver’s eyes traveled down to the collar around Connors neck. It seemed to go into the boy’s skin in various places around his neck. Connor was still shaking in the sit as Oliver noticed Annalise whispering to Frank and Bonnie he saw Michael out the corner of his eye “what are you doing” he hissed to her who was casually gazing up to Connor and back down to write notes  
“Writing down what he is doing” she rolled her eyes as if she was doing the most obvious thing.  
“Why?”  
“For evidence of the effect that this man has on people”   
“How will they know you aren't making it up”  
“That’s why Laurel is filming it”  
Oliver had notice the other girl with her phone out her filming was district that it was hard to see she was really filming. Looking between them and Wes and Asher he was stunned how none cared about the boy who they were all so busy study.  
Oliver stood up and walked over to Connor who still had his head buried in his sleeve and was not letting the women touch him.

Connor noticed another person kneeling directly in front of him and peeked to notice the man with the coke bottle glasses he immediately wanted a black hole to come and swallow him or at least hide his face away from the man but instead looked down to the floor.  
“Its okay” he heard the man say he tried to remember the name he must have told him but everything was a blur, he shook his head slightly how could it be okay? He didn't want to do this he wanted to go home but realized he no longer has a home. The manor wasn't a home neither is the old apartment it never was.   
He felt a hand on his shoulder it wasn't soft so he knew it wasn't Maya’s or Gemma’s the hand he started to panic realizing the hand belonged to a man but soon he became aware that it was also too soft to belong to his masters.

Oliver placed his had on the boy’s shoulder he felt him tense up and wanted to tear his hand away to stop anymore discomfort but Connor started to relax he saw the boy’s eyes look back up to him his eyes unreadable. His eyes looked so dead but Oliver could see that there was still a little gleam in them   
“We've got to go” Oliver was pulled out of his thoughts as Wendy looked between the two of them staring intently on Oliver’s hand that was on the younger’s shoulder. Oliver knew that he was staying with her for the time being and he didn't want to think what would happen to the boy when all this was over assuming they win. No. they are going to win Connor and the other will be safe and that monster would be locked away for good. 

But even then what would happen he thought watching still slightly shaking boy as he got into an old rusty car. The thought didn't leave his mind for the rest of the day. When his brother Tom called him up once he was home to tell Oliver about the wedding plans for his girlfriends sister, which Oliver had demeaned he heard updates on every week, he couldn't concentrate on a single word his mind was full of thoughts and scenarios to concentrate on anything else.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for it being so long to anyone that actual reads this

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fic and criticism is welcome. All mistakes are my own.  
> comments and kudos would be great.


End file.
